Various systems are known in the art for opening a cassette in a photocopier in order to insert new sheets.
In the simplest case, the user removes the cassette from the machine manually. In this case, a space is needed next to the machine on which to place the cassette.
In another case, the user manually pulls the cassette out far enough to be able to insert new sheets. The cassette remains connected to the machine. One drawback of this solution is that stops could be broken by the user if his movements are too jerky during the last section of travel of the cassette.
In these two prior art examples manual operation is required on the part of user. This may lead to problems resulting from the care with which the user acts. Pulling the cassette out too quickly with consequent shifting of the paper in the cassette can cause damage during operation. There is also the risk of the cassette falling on the floor and operational parts being broken, or of incorrect positioning of parts that need to be positioned accurately. Another drawback to these systems is that the stops for the cassette can get broken during the last section of travel inwardly or outwardly (in particular in the 2nd case), thus causing the cassette to fall to the floor. Another not insignificant drawback occurs if the user has not pulled the cassette out completely, that is far enough to be able to load the paper, so that he will realise this only when his hands are already full with the paper he wants to load into the machine, and he will therefore have to put the paper down again and pull the cassette out completely, thereby wasting time.
In yet another case, the cassette is firmly inserted in the machine in the working position and projects outwardly sufficiently far enough to allow sheets of paper to be inserted after opening of a lid of the cassette. With such an arrangement the cassette is always projecting outwardly from the machine and thus more space is required to accommodate the machine.